We’re happy to announce the newest addition to the Grockit social learning platform: Grockit Answers, a tool for hosting timely Q&A discussions around web videos. We started by designing this for our own videos, but quickly decided that it could have more impact if we expanded our scope a bit. So as of today, Grockit Answers works with any video hosted on YouTube or Vimeo.

There’s a wealth of educational videos available online, but the primary mode of interaction among viewers — short-form commenting — doesn’t do much to enhance or facilitate learning. When you’re trying to grok a challenging lecture from an AI course at Stanford or an open talk at MIT, you need more than comments. You need a way to ask a question about a particular point that confused you, or ask for a clarification or maybe a useful reference on something mentioned in the video. You really need a Q&A site, and you need to be able to attach each of your questions to a particular time in the video. You need Grockit Answers. Here’s a quick video clip (live Q&A discussion here). Feel free to ask questions about this video on Grockit Answers.

Built on Popcorn.js, a fantastic new HTML5 media framework for better connecting web videos to web pages, Grockit Answers displays each question and its answers at the exact point in the video that they are most relevant. As a viewer, some of the things that confuse you are are likely to be the same as what confused others before you. In a time-anchored Q&A on Grockit Answers, just as the question begins to form in your mind, it may magically pop up on the screen, along with a few great answers.

For the educators out there, I’m happy to say that we developed a number of additional features with you in mind. You can create a Q&A page on a video that only you and your students have access to, and you can moderate the conversation to get additional controls and deeper insight into what’s happening. Finally, and most exciting, you can add these Q&A pages to your own course websites (example), easily replacing links to YouTube or Vimeo videos with your moderated discussions. Feel free to contact us at answers@grockit.com with any questions about this.

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I am a teacher and LOVE this tool. BUT we are 1 to 1 Ipad and once it is created it doesn’t seem to play on the IPad???? Is there any solution to this coming?

http://grockit.com admin

The issue you’re seeing is related to iPad support for flash and video players. I wouldn’t look for Apple to change their support for broader software or video support anytime soon. We’ll add more video formats over time, sorry that this is happening to you now.

Mlowak

You need to download the ipad web browser Puffin in the apps store for $2.99. I can play all of the videos on Puffin amd even project them for the class to see. Amazing for this price!!!

I’m embarrassed to admit it but I am just now discovering Grockit. Awesome concept and even though you guys are still in beta, your video based Q&A engine appears to have the potential to corner the market for interactive .Edu model. I’m trying to figure out how to package my SEO consulting into your SaaS. [note] whomever is managing your G+ Brand page, they should amp it up a bit. Your biz model is way too strong to be so under the radar on G+

vecttra

How do I delete the questions I have already submitted.

Marguerite

Is anyone using Grockit in their Google Apps EDU domain? If so, would you mind talking to me about how you are using it , and what support you received from district admin.